Mats Oral Board Rac 3 Part 2

Front 1

Describe in general terms, what is an ATC clearance?

Back 1

An ATC clearance is an authorisation for an aircraft to proceed under conditions specified by ATC. It is only valid within controlled airspace and with respect to known air traffic. A clearance is required to contain all the elements needed for separation, provision of traffic information and traffic management as appropriate. These elements may be amended as the evolving traffic situation demands.

Front 2

List who requires an ATC clearance to operate?

Back 2

An ATC clearance is required by:

• all aircraft, pedestrians and vehicles wishing to enter and operate on the manoeuvring area at a controlled aerodrome;
• all flights wishing to enter and operate within the traffic circuit or to take-off or land at a controlled aerodrome;
• all IFR flights to operate in class A, C and D airspace;
• all VFR flights to operate in class C and D airspace;
• all parachute descents in controlled airspace.

Front 3

Describe when an ATC clearance may be denied or withheld. What are the exceptions?

Back 3

An ATC clearance shall not be denied or withheld except:

• for traffic reasons, when ATC cannot accommodate traffic additional to that already accepted due to traffic congestion, limitations of equipment, procedures, weather or environmental conditions, emergencies and other similar factors; or
• when instructed by the Head of Service Delivery provided that:
• a clearance shall not be withheld unless the aircraft is on the ground and the clearance is for entry onto the manoeuvring area.
• normal ATC service shall be provided for any aircraft entering the manoeuvring area without an ATC clearance.

Front 4

When a controller is issuing clearances via a relay through another ATS agency, what delivery instructions shall be specified when necessary?

Back 4

Controllers issuing clearances for relay shall, if necessary, specify delivery instructions such as:

• the time at which an attempt to deliver the clearance shall be made; or
• the time at which the clearance expires.

Front 5

List the instructions and clearances that must be readback in full by a pilot?

Back 5

Where the following are transmitted by voice, pilots are required to make a full readback followed by their aircraft callsign:

• ATC route clearances
• clearances and instructions (including conditional clearances) to operate on the manoeuvring area at a controlled aerodrome including:  clearances to land on or take off from any runway;  clearances to enter, cross, taxi on, or backtrack on any runway;  instructions to remain on or hold clear of any runway;  taxi instructions including a taxi route and holding position where specified
• runway-in-use
• altimeter settings
• SSR codes
• level instructions
• heading and speed instructions
• frequency, after frequency change instructions

Front 6

List the two exceptions where a pilot is not required to readback a clearance in full?

Back 6

• pilots waiting to cross a runway may acknowledge a clearance to cross with the phrase "CROSSING (callsign)"
• pilots of VFR aircraft cleared to route via a published arrival or departure procedure requested by them may acknowledge the clearance with their callsign

Front 7

Describe the pre departure actions that a controller shall take for an IFR flight notifying intention to depart from an uncontrolled aerodrome , that intends to enter controlled airspace shortly after departure?

Back 7

Where an IFR flight will originate from an aerodrome or heliport that is outside but adjacent to controlled airspace, such that the aircraft might enter controlled airspace during or immediately after completing departure manoeuvres, the following action shall be taken:

• obtain from the pilot an estimated time of departure if not already provided, and
• instruct the pilot to remain outside controlled airspace and to advise when and/or where to expect a clearance; or
• issue the pilot with a clearance, then,

▪︎advise the pilot that the clearance is not valid, to remain clear of controlled airspace, and request the pilot to report ready for departure; or

▪︎advise the pilot that the clearance is valid at (time); or ▪︎advise the pilot to enter controlled airspace at (time) or later; and ▪︎include if necessary a requirement for the flight to enter controlled airspace via a significant point, track or procedure (e.g. SID) and/or at a level or climbing; and

▪︎include if necessary a clearance expiry time.

Front 8

When may a clearance for an enroute aircraft to leave controlled airspace be issued?

Back 8

A clearance to leave controlled airspace while a flight is en-route shall only be issued:

• when it is intended that an aircraft leave controlled airspace on other than its currently cleared route; or
• when the aircraft will leave controlled airspace by a change in level.

Front 9

List the objectives regarding instructions contained in an ATC clearance to an IFR flight?

Back 9

Instructions contained in a clearance to an IFR flight shall:

• provide separation:

▪︎where prescribed, between the aircraft concerned and other controlled flights; and

▪︎from SUA and GAA as required by RAC 5; and

• enble the flight to comply with the promulgated procedures for IFR flights published in the AIPNZ; and
• conform with the terms for acceptance of control by the next controlling authority; and
• conform, where possible, with the details requested in the flight plan and the Air Traffic Management route requirements as specified in the AIPNZ; and
• where the aircraft has flight planned for flight within controlled airspace, enable the aircraft to remain within controlled airspace, unless applying the criteria for direct routing on unevaluated routes

Front 10

If an IFR clearance would involve significant delay what provisos must be met in order to offer a pilot an alternative which would take the aircraft out of controlled airspace?

Back 10

If a clearance would involve a significant delay, a pilot may be offered an alternative which would take the aircraft out of controlled airspace, provided that:

• the pilot is advised that the clearance will take the aircraft outside controlled airspace; and
• the pilot confirms acceptance of the clearance.

Front 11

With respect to IFR silent clearance delivery procedures with coordination.

1. Describe the procedure to bring the EPL to coordinate state, following a pilots pre start call
2. What cruising level shall be specified in the route clearance
3. Describe issuing the clearance with regards to checking the clearance information first
4. The cruising level (CFL) on the flight progress strip should have been transcribed from and must agree with...?
5. How shall ATC the bring the flight plan into COORDINATE state?

Back 11

1. Following a pilots pre start call thr TWR shall:

• ensure the flight plan reflects any allowable changes, and
• complete any FDL actions required for flow control, and
• issue the clearance

2. The cruising level specified in the route clearance shall be the latest level advised by the pilot or that required by ATC for traffic management.

3. The clearance shall be checked to ensure that the written data agrees with the electronic data.

4. The level that appears on the flight progress strip as the cruising level to be issued (CFL) after the route description should have been transcribed from and must agree with that in the FDL line for the flight concerned.

5. The TWR shall then use the PDC REQUEST function to request the planner bring the flight plan to COORDINATE state.

Front 12

1. List the elements of an ATC clearance
2. List any other instructions or information that may be included as required
3. Which elements of instructions or information are not passed to the pilot?

Back 12

An ATC clearance issued to an IFR or VFR flight to operate enroute shall contain the following elements in the order listed:

• Aircraft identification as shown on the flight plan, and
• If appropriate, notification and reason for unavailability of requested route and/or cruising level, and
• Authorisation to operate in controlled airspace in accordance with instructions issued, and
• Clearance limit, and
• Route instructions, and
• Level instructions, and
• Any other instructions or information as required, i.e.

▪departure and diversionary climb instructions;

▪oceanic transition

▪separation or reporting instructions;

▪SSR code allocation;

▪any special information;

▪frequency change instructions;

▪release instructions;

▪delivery instructions. Note: Release and delivery instructions are not passed to the aircraft.

Front 13

What phraseology is used to advise a pilot that their requested flight planned route and/or cruising level is unavailable?

Back 13

Where it is not possible to clear a flight via the requested or flight planned route or cruising level, the pilot shall be advised using the phrase: "(route and/or level) NOT AVAILABLE DUE (reason) [ALTERNATIVE(S) IS/ARE (route(s) and/or level(s)) ADVISE]"

Front 14

List the phrases to be used to authorise aircraft to operate in controlled airspace?

Back 14

• "CLEARED [TO]"
• "RECLEARED"
• "ENTER"
• "LEAVE"
• "JOIN"
• "MAKE"
• "REMAIN"
• "OPERATE"

Front 15

1. Explain the term "Clearance limit"
2. What is the clearance limit for aircraft intending to carry out an instrument approach at more than one aerodrome?
3. What is the clearance limit for aircraft intending to operate in an operating area. (LFA, MOA, SUA)?
4. What is the clearance limit where an aircraft intends to leave controlled airspace (or leave and re enter controlled airspace)?
5. What two provisos should be considered?

Back 15

1. The clearance limit shall be the aerodrome of first intended landing, a significant point or an airspace boundary.
2. Where a pilot intends to carry out an instrument approach at more than one aerodrome, the clearance limit shall be the aerodrome at which the first instrument approach is to be flown.
3. Where the pilot intends to operate in an operating area such as a MOA, the clearance limit shall be specified as the operating area or other suitable point.
4. When an aircraft intends to leave controlled airspace, or leave and subsequently re-enter the same or other controlled airspace on the same continuous route, the clearance limit shall be the aerodrome of first intended landing.
5. Such a clearance or revisions to it shall apply only to those portions that are conducted in controlled airspace. Traffic information shall be provided for the portion outside controlled airspace.

Front 16

What are the ways in which an IFR route can be described?

Back 16

The IFR route to be followed shall be described:

• by using a standard route clearance and the runway-in-use at destination e.g. "FASTAIR 102 CLEARED WN1 RWY 16…"; or

• by using a standard route clearance and the runway-in-use at a controlled aerodrome adjacent to the aerodrome of departure or destination e.g. “PAPA KILO MIKE CLEARED HN 1 WHENUAPAI RWY 03 …” or

• by using a standard route clearance and the arrival procedure at aerodrome of destination e.g. “FASTAIR 001 CLEARED WN2 NS1B ARRIVAL . . .”; or

• by using the arrival procedure for the aerodrome of destination provided that the arrival procedure commences at or adjacent to the aerodrome of departure e.g. “FASTAIR 996 CLEARED SF1A ARRIVAL . . .”; or

• by using a standard route clearance e.g. "FASTAIR 919 CLEARED PM1 . . ."; or

• by using the word "VIA" followed by a detailed description of the route, using reporting points and/or ATS routes; e.g. "FASTAIR 616 CLEARED TO NR VIA V393 WN H103 . . ."; or

• by using the phrase "VIA FLIGHT PLANNED ROUTE", to describe the route (as filed by the pilot/company) which is detailed in the flight plan. e.g. "FASTAIR 317 CLEARED TO PM VIA FLIGHT PLANNED ROUTE . . ."

• by using the word "VIA" followed by a detailed description of the route, using reporting points and /or ATS routes, up to and including the point at which the flight is to rejoin the route in the flight plan, followed by the phrase "THEN FLIGHT PLANNED ROUTE". e.g. "FASTAIR 442 CLEARED TO AA VIA SW H159 CH THEN FLIGHT PLANNED ROUTE . . ."

Front 17

When an aircraft is issued an IFR route clearance using the description, 'VIA FLIGHT PLANNED ROUTE' what two provisos shall be considered?

Back 17

When RDR is in the RMK field of a domestic flight plan, or it is suspected or known that there is a discrepancy between the flight planned route in the FDP and that known to the pilot, the term "Flight Planned Route" shall not be used during inter sector/unit coordination while resolving the issue.

Front 18

With respect to issuing a route description, what flights should the term 'Flight Planned Route' be limited to?

Back 18

Domestically, the use of the term "FLIGHT PLANNED ROUTE" should be avoided if at all possible. Its use should be limited to:

• oceanic flights; or

• flights where the route is identified with latitudes and longitudes; or

• flights with a long or complicated route field.

Front 19

During coordination, when shall a controller NOT use the term "Flight Plan Route'?

Back 19

Where it is necessary to completely revise the IFR route instructions, a new route clearance shall be issued using reporting points and/or ATS routes. The phrase "VIA FLIGHT PLANNED ROUTE" shall not be used in these circumstances

Front 20

Within controlled airspace how does a controller base obstacle clearance for Direct Routing?

Back 20

Within controlled airspace, the controller is responsible for obstacle clearance which can be based on:

• radar terrain when under radar control; or
• at or above 13 000 ft (FL160 in the Mt Cook Raised Transition Area); or
• an approved area MSA.

Front 21

List the four requirements when issuing direct routing to a departing IFR flight within Controlled Airspace?

Back 21

Aircraft may be permitted to leave controlled airspace, either vertically or horizontally on an unevaluated route or by a temporary deviation off a promulgated route provided that:

• it is at pilot request; and
• under pilot navigation; and
• the controller ensures a suitable obstacle clearance that the pilot can comply with is promulgated. If there is doubt that the pilot can comply or that a suitable obstacle clearance is promulgated then the pilot shall be asked using the following phraseology: “ARE YOU ABLE TO MAINTAIN OWN OBSTACLE CLEARANCE OUTSIDE CONTROLLED AIRSPACE?”; and
• IFR traffic information is passed.